Mathiesen's request for last call change in Saratoga Springs a non-starter for county board

BALLSTON SPA -- Saratoga Springs Public Safety Commissioner Christian Mathiesen on Tuesday renewed efforts to get last call for alcohol changed from 4 a.m. to 3 a.m., but his speech was met with lukewarm reception from county legislators and widespread objection from business owners.

Supervisors cite not wanting to cut sales tax revenue, particularly in tough budget years like the one they are currently in, among their objections to the proposal. Supervisors also said they don't see one city's last call request as a county-wide issue and don't want to govern private business practices.

But Mathiesen, who did not attend the committee meeting two weeks ago because he thought no vote would be taken until August, gave a five-minute speech before the full board during its public comment period Tuesday. In his speech he outlined the City Council's reasoning for requesting the change in the first place -- namely that it would improve overall public safety and reduce police overtime in the city.

"We believe that a last call adjustment to 3 a.m. ... would help to tone down the late night activity without unduly harming the businesses that have been open until 4," Mathiesen told the board.

His address was immediately followed by speeches from five local bar owners and business leaders, who spoke in favor of not changing closing time. They dismissed Mathiesen's claim that the nightlife scene, particularly on the city's bar-heavy Caroline Street, was "out of control."

"There's a price to pay for fixing something that isn't broken," said John Baker, the owner of the Caroline Street restaurant and bar, Gaffney's. He said a change would cause the elimination of between 50 and 75 jobs in the vicinity of Caroline Street, citing a poll of downtown business owners.

Clancy's Tavern owner Tom Clancy said business owners have already taken steps to address some of Mathiesen's concerns -- training bouncers to be security guards, putting bartenders through alcohol awareness training and creating a text-message service that informs other bars and police about potentially problematic patrons -- but he opposed changing last call. Clancy said the city's downtown is safe and isolated incidents do not justify a last call change.

Other speakers said the change could ultimately draw fewer visitors to the city.

The possibility existed for supervisors to subsequently make a motion to add a last call change resolution to the day's agenda, but no such action occurred. One supervisor, who did not want to be identified disparaging Mathiesen's proposal, believes Mathiesen's speech was ill-fated because the county committee had already decided not to endorse the proposal. It is extremely rare for the full board to back a resolution that a committee previously defeated.

"It died in committee," the supervisor said following the meeting. "It's deader than hell."

One Saratoga Springs resident, Charles Brown, said he would like to see supervisors discuss the issue further, though more than one supervisor indicated they hoped the roughly 30 minutes of public comment on the issue they entertained Tuesday would be the last they hear of the debate.

Mathiesen, though, has said he would like to set up a meeting with the State Liquor Authority to discuss changing last call in the city, even though the authority has already said any request for a change must come from the county Board of Supervisors and be implemented county-wide.